1. Rising to the Occasion: Following his stellar career at Clemson, including a school-record 33-career sacks, Beasley was questioned about his size. NFL analysts speculated he would show up at his pro day in the "225 to 230-pound range", but instead, "he showed up 246 and ripped," according to NFL Media's Mike Mayock, who told CBS Sports that "Beasley carried the weight effectively, running a 4.53 40-yard dash, jumped over 40 inches and looked great in position drills." Falcons head coach Dan Quinn loves what he sees in Beasley and will put him in position to thrive on the field in 2015.
"One thing we certainly do know is (Beasley's) speed and the athleticism to get after the quarterback," Quinn said. "Coming off the edge, those are the things that most fired us up (about him)".
2. High-Character Addition: Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff refers to the Falcon Filter as the lens through which he and the team's brass evaluate potential fits on the club. They didn't need to spend a long time looking at Beasley's character, described by many as a true class-act individual, including Falcons defensive end Malliciah Goodman.
"He's not that guy who is going to be in the news for doing bad things," Goodman said. "He's a high-character guy. He's a real down-to-earth guy. On the field, he's a very explosive, athletic guy. He has great instincts and speed to transition to the NFL game."
3. No Place Like Home: Beasley joins the Falcons as part of a return trip to his home state. The team's top pick said all along it would be a dream come true to make it in the NFL, with the added bonus of being able to play at home in front of family and friends. Raised in Adairsville, Ga., 84.6 miles from the Falcons' team facility in Flowery Branch, Beasley shined as a high school running back and defensive phenom. He'll look to continue his heroic efforts in Georgia, benefiting the Falcons and their fans throughout the world. When asked what he'll bring to Atlanta's pass rush, he responded immediately.
"I'm a double-digit sack guy," Beasley said. "I'm going to bring a great pass rush and put a lot of pressure on the quarterback."
4. Quarterback Crusher: Beasley teamed with the ESPN Sport Science team to further investigate his many jaw-dropping skills, including explosiveness off the line (.28 seconds). He also showcased remarkable speed and strength, using 360 pounds of force to push away the heavy bags, finishing the drill by sacking the quarterback dummy with 1,873 pounds of force. "That felt great," Beasley said. "I love crushing quarterbacks; that's what I do."
5. Inspired by Mom:Entering his senior season at Clemson, Beasley was interviewed by All InSider, asked about what drives him as a player.
"Mainly my parents, especially my mom," Beasley said. "She's been with me during all of the days growing up, playing little-league football and basketball, high school and college ball. She has a great passion for the game, and it motivates me to give my all and hopefully one day make her happy."
Before Beasley began his 2014 season at Clemson, he was asked which NFL team he'd like to play for, and his answer left nobody guessing. "Most definitely, (I want to) play for the Atlanta Falcons," Beasley said. "The ATL is where it's at."
